My interest in researching slavery in my home state of Illinois has increased and I wish to share this with you. Illinois, though a free state, had slaves.

Kent Farm in Randolph County, Illinois was owned by Elias Kent Kane. He was a lawyer; a delegate to Illinois state constitutional convention from Randolph County in 1818; The Illinois State Constitution was written in his house. Illinois became a free state; he was the first Secretary of State of Illinois; a member of the Illinois State House of Representatives; and a United States Senator from Illinois. The cities of Aurora and Elgin, Illinois are in Kane County which was named for Elias Kent Kane.

Elias Kent Kane in listed on the 1820 Census for Randolph County with five slaves. He is listed on the 1830 Census for Randolph County with six slaves. He sold Sarah and Hannah to a man named Andrew Borders. I am doing a search for more information.

Ed Adams